Did anyone notice how a lot of the movies out and theaters and about to be released are horror? Boogeyman, Ring 2, Alone in the Dark, and more. I'm not complaining or anything, because I like a good scary flick, but what's with this sudden surge of scary stuff?
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The Prominence of Horror Movies
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MistressValerie1
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I like well-conceived horror films, like "It" or the original version of "Carrie," but I don't care much for blood-and-gore movies myself.
CellarDweller
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I agree with you Mistress Valerie! I love a great scary movie!
Celtic_Emperor
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Yes, I have noticed it. One can't watch tv without a commericial for one these days. Its a sign of the times we live in. It was like this before years ago as well, in past generations.
We're faced with political strife, injustices to life and of course wars. The movie industry is almost like a relflection of the sentiments and inward feelings of America, other countries and their dealings in the world. We live in a troubled time where fuzzy, warm, funny movies are out of place and people would sooner favor blood, mameing and supernatural terrors.
We've slipped into another fantasy depression where the only things we can come up with are morbid in nature and somber to the core, a reflection of our disheartedness as a society.
How fortunate however that dispite this foreseen fluctuation, that not all of the entertainment business has given into this trend. If you ask me, we don't need more of these morbid, quote un quote horror-themed movies. They've always had the potential to be overdone, and thats exactly what we're doing. The value of a good horror flick has gone down, and its hard to take them at face value when we're visually assaulted with the same thing consistantly. We need horror movies when we least expect them, and we need to create less of them, so that we process them mentally, visually, and psychologically with moderation, to retain any kind of value they used to have.
They simply are not scary anymore, are predictable as all hell, and have given us too much of a good thing thats its all really densensitizing.
I know we'll come out of this ok, we did before, decades ago, and we'll do it again and the balance will be restored in movies when we as a country are ready for it.
This is just a phase.
We're faced with political strife, injustices to life and of course wars. The movie industry is almost like a relflection of the sentiments and inward feelings of America, other countries and their dealings in the world. We live in a troubled time where fuzzy, warm, funny movies are out of place and people would sooner favor blood, mameing and supernatural terrors.
We've slipped into another fantasy depression where the only things we can come up with are morbid in nature and somber to the core, a reflection of our disheartedness as a society.
How fortunate however that dispite this foreseen fluctuation, that not all of the entertainment business has given into this trend. If you ask me, we don't need more of these morbid, quote un quote horror-themed movies. They've always had the potential to be overdone, and thats exactly what we're doing. The value of a good horror flick has gone down, and its hard to take them at face value when we're visually assaulted with the same thing consistantly. We need horror movies when we least expect them, and we need to create less of them, so that we process them mentally, visually, and psychologically with moderation, to retain any kind of value they used to have.
They simply are not scary anymore, are predictable as all hell, and have given us too much of a good thing thats its all really densensitizing.
I know we'll come out of this ok, we did before, decades ago, and we'll do it again and the balance will be restored in movies when we as a country are ready for it.
This is just a phase.
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Celtic_Emperor
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Thank God for Meet The Fockers. It couldn't have come at a better time.
nessonite1
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Money. There was that whole Scream / I Know What you did Last Summer stuff. It was successful so in the years since people have been cashing in right and left on the revived horror genre.
Celtic_Emperor
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Its not just about the money however. Society is mentally delicate and mentally programable, and we subconciously want these types of movies because its a way of venting our frustrations, hatred and contempt, and torturing or scaring fictional characters to death allows those involved to let it out, and those that watch it to feed off of it. I think this is true because there weren't nearly as many horror movies before 9/11, the war in iraq, etc.
Its not just about scaring an audiance. Are the movies actually scary? I'd say they're more disturbing than scary, and thats what they're tapping into when they make them.
If it was strictly because of the genre itself people would have cashed in sooner. They waited until now, when audiances were mentally ready to accept (and buy into) a flood of these types of movies, as they would identify more with them right now than they would any other genre.
I agree with you, it is about money. It always has been. But psychology has alot to do with it and the industry uses that to their advantage as well. When people think of "horror" movies, they think it automatically means "scary". Thats usually the first word that comes to mind. Horror is much broader than that and appeals to a wide range of taboo interests. And as such, it allows people to fantasize and be dark in dark times. Its a way of dealing with it, albeit inverted and perhaps unhealthy, at least mentally.
In retrospect, these movies encourage people to be sad, somber, and dark. They aren't trying to scare you and make sure you have a good time, they want you to buy into the attitude of it all. And thats not going to help anything. People don't want to give the entertainment business too much credit, but telivision and movies are the single greatest threat to the human condition that there is in this day and age. We're bombarded with many unhealthy images and we listen because its on tv.
This whole "dark" thing is just one peg on a wheel that the business is throwing out there right now because its ripe for cashing in on. Just watch, come summer, you'll see more comedy movies and an adventure/family movie or two come winter. Why? Because when something in congress gives, or your local government passes a bill in your favor, or the posture of the country changes for the better, you'll want to be happy again.
And what society wants, society gets. We won't be seeing so many horror movies after this phase is over, and they've milked it. Those horror movies that are made after the fact will have to rely heavily on pure audiance interest in the subject matter as the momentum will have shifted away from the genre itself.
Perhaps I'm just stating the unspoken obvious, but to leave it at "money" makes it more trivial than it really is. Are they, the ones making these movies taking it so lightheartedly? No. They're doing their damndest to keep your attention and interest because its their careers that are on the line, not yours.
Anyways, my point is I don't appriciate the way they've always taken advantage of key moments in history to make a buck. They did it with Vietnam and they're doing it again.
Its not just about scaring an audiance. Are the movies actually scary? I'd say they're more disturbing than scary, and thats what they're tapping into when they make them.
If it was strictly because of the genre itself people would have cashed in sooner. They waited until now, when audiances were mentally ready to accept (and buy into) a flood of these types of movies, as they would identify more with them right now than they would any other genre.
I agree with you, it is about money. It always has been. But psychology has alot to do with it and the industry uses that to their advantage as well. When people think of "horror" movies, they think it automatically means "scary". Thats usually the first word that comes to mind. Horror is much broader than that and appeals to a wide range of taboo interests. And as such, it allows people to fantasize and be dark in dark times. Its a way of dealing with it, albeit inverted and perhaps unhealthy, at least mentally.
In retrospect, these movies encourage people to be sad, somber, and dark. They aren't trying to scare you and make sure you have a good time, they want you to buy into the attitude of it all. And thats not going to help anything. People don't want to give the entertainment business too much credit, but telivision and movies are the single greatest threat to the human condition that there is in this day and age. We're bombarded with many unhealthy images and we listen because its on tv.
This whole "dark" thing is just one peg on a wheel that the business is throwing out there right now because its ripe for cashing in on. Just watch, come summer, you'll see more comedy movies and an adventure/family movie or two come winter. Why? Because when something in congress gives, or your local government passes a bill in your favor, or the posture of the country changes for the better, you'll want to be happy again.
And what society wants, society gets. We won't be seeing so many horror movies after this phase is over, and they've milked it. Those horror movies that are made after the fact will have to rely heavily on pure audiance interest in the subject matter as the momentum will have shifted away from the genre itself.
Perhaps I'm just stating the unspoken obvious, but to leave it at "money" makes it more trivial than it really is. Are they, the ones making these movies taking it so lightheartedly? No. They're doing their damndest to keep your attention and interest because its their careers that are on the line, not yours.
Anyways, my point is I don't appriciate the way they've always taken advantage of key moments in history to make a buck. They did it with Vietnam and they're doing it again.
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nessonite1
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I wonder is rollercoasters and other "safe" scares are also more popular during turbulant times...
Celtic_Emperor
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I know it sounds crazy, but there is a study behind this that directly links the state of society with it's current tastes in movies. During Vietnam and the war-time eras movies were grim because society was. Or perhaps not so much society, but its outlook on what was then, current events at home and abroad.
This is also more broader than this. As you say, rollercoasters. Rollercoasters are meant to both give you a rush AND make you scared. People want to be scared and startled because its a sub-conscious distraction.
Its like a fail-save device, a defensive mechanism that you seek out subconsciously. It also allows us to be afraid or pretend to be afraid, and whether we realize it or not, we're mentally lightening our load.
Bright, cheerful, funny movies won't do that right now (on average) because of the state of things. Its like a spite of whats going on. No one wants to hear about love and no one wants to laugh. The majority of society is still brooding, and its easier to associate that with horror movies and to manifest our spite into movies of this genre than any other simply because of their grim and dark nature.
On an individual level however, this may not be so. But as a society it has always seemed to be true.
This is also more broader than this. As you say, rollercoasters. Rollercoasters are meant to both give you a rush AND make you scared. People want to be scared and startled because its a sub-conscious distraction.
Its like a fail-save device, a defensive mechanism that you seek out subconsciously. It also allows us to be afraid or pretend to be afraid, and whether we realize it or not, we're mentally lightening our load.
Bright, cheerful, funny movies won't do that right now (on average) because of the state of things. Its like a spite of whats going on. No one wants to hear about love and no one wants to laugh. The majority of society is still brooding, and its easier to associate that with horror movies and to manifest our spite into movies of this genre than any other simply because of their grim and dark nature.
On an individual level however, this may not be so. But as a society it has always seemed to be true.
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Celtic_Emperor
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The reason I don't like this is because the movie industry is taking advantage of our suffering. 9/11 and afterwards, they're making a buck off of the pain and loss there. The war in iraq, they're making a buck off of that. The economy, etc, they're making a buck off of that and they're getting away with it because we feel helpless and these dark movies craddle our pain and nurse it. But this is also unhealthy because its warped and it ultimately doesn't help us. Its just a quick fix.
So not only are they dishonoring loss of life and taking advantage of people's pain and suffering to a degree, both physical and mental, but they're craddling our ill-begotten emotions. They aren't ending them, they're nuturing them. They're projecting darkness and gloom on us.
We really do need more comedy movies, we need to laugh and let it go. Thats good medicine, and the movie producers need to do their part in society. We need more producers to take the chance and make these types of fun, adventurous movies. Because it's these movies that will both consciously and subconsciously make us better and allow us to move on. This slew of horror movies is a psychological mistake and its only perpetuating a legecy of social depression that we've never fully been rid of since the 40s.
The movie industry has a responsibility to us all. They are in the business of making movies for everyone to see. What they create sends a messege to people every time. We need more positive messeges and morals to the movies. They need to send messeges of hope and good will. Thats a good place to start. This many horror movies are only keeping us down.
So not only are they dishonoring loss of life and taking advantage of people's pain and suffering to a degree, both physical and mental, but they're craddling our ill-begotten emotions. They aren't ending them, they're nuturing them. They're projecting darkness and gloom on us.
We really do need more comedy movies, we need to laugh and let it go. Thats good medicine, and the movie producers need to do their part in society. We need more producers to take the chance and make these types of fun, adventurous movies. Because it's these movies that will both consciously and subconsciously make us better and allow us to move on. This slew of horror movies is a psychological mistake and its only perpetuating a legecy of social depression that we've never fully been rid of since the 40s.
The movie industry has a responsibility to us all. They are in the business of making movies for everyone to see. What they create sends a messege to people every time. We need more positive messeges and morals to the movies. They need to send messeges of hope and good will. Thats a good place to start. This many horror movies are only keeping us down.
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nessonite1
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I guess I don't go along with the general population there but I rarely do anyway. I never watch horror/scary movies. I have even less of a taste for them now than I ever did. The majority of my favorite movies are either comedies or dramas with at least some comedic elements...and the very occasional lovie type movie.
Guess I'm abnormal.
Guess I'm abnormal.
Celtic_Emperor
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I don't go along with the general populous either, which is part of why I said it may not be true for individuals but enough numbers add up that society dicates it's desires. I never really found horror movies scary. They're predicitable and forced. That special element they used to have isn't there anymore. Or maybe it is, but its just not evident.
One of the basic problems is that theres too many "scary" movies out there that they've all but lost their appeal. Even if one is different somehow, it all harkens back to the idea that it will scare you, which may never happen depending on who you are. If a horror movie fails to deliver, it might as well be a waste of time and effort. Things really went to crap when CG took over the more important things like good, solid plot devices, and the old school ways of telling a good horror story.
The older movies have stood the test of time because they possessed all the qualities a good horror movie should. These newer ones may look better, but they are more contrived and are far less likely to scare anyone.
One of the basic problems is that theres too many "scary" movies out there that they've all but lost their appeal. Even if one is different somehow, it all harkens back to the idea that it will scare you, which may never happen depending on who you are. If a horror movie fails to deliver, it might as well be a waste of time and effort. Things really went to crap when CG took over the more important things like good, solid plot devices, and the old school ways of telling a good horror story.
The older movies have stood the test of time because they possessed all the qualities a good horror movie should. These newer ones may look better, but they are more contrived and are far less likely to scare anyone.
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MistressValerie1
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I prefer serious but not overly violent dramas above all other genres. I can enjoy an intellectually stimulating comedy or a GOOD, non-gory scary film, but I don't much care for mainstream movies or television, which is one reason I am always online 🙂
I agree with Vlad that movie (and TV) producers should exercise more social responsibility, but unfortunately, crap sells. The advent of cable TV has not improved matters but rather has diluted the quality of what is available. I watch little television other than PBS.
Regards,
I agree with Vlad that movie (and TV) producers should exercise more social responsibility, but unfortunately, crap sells. The advent of cable TV has not improved matters but rather has diluted the quality of what is available. I watch little television other than PBS.
Regards,
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Celtic_Emperor
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A good example of realistic suspense and drama is the show 24, with Keifer Sutherland. That show is a hit, and it does keep me at the edge of my seat almost literally just like it claims it will, waiting to see what happens next every second for second. Sometimes I'm afraid Jack is going to get killed and I tense up when he rounds a corner or something, sometimes. The way they film it makes it feel like you're right there with the characters. And yet, theres no huge studio budget, all of the effects are real, and the performances are really enough to provoke a sense of urgency, immediate threat and fear.
If more horror movies were made like this, I would support them more. Horror movies don't give you whats going to scare you, they give you what THEY think is going to scare you or what they think should, and thats part of the problem. Their ideas of what is scary have not matured. The answers are often very simplistic and elementary, but these companies insist on making high-budget movies that are nothing more than an overused plotline with CG as filler.
If more horror movies were made like this, I would support them more. Horror movies don't give you whats going to scare you, they give you what THEY think is going to scare you or what they think should, and thats part of the problem. Their ideas of what is scary have not matured. The answers are often very simplistic and elementary, but these companies insist on making high-budget movies that are nothing more than an overused plotline with CG as filler.
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nessonite1
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I think that is true for many genres, not just horror. Hell...video games too are relying more on pretty graphics and forgetting that the old school games were pixelated but FUN.
I have seen very few effects laden movies that were actually good and not just visually stimulating. That's part of why I avoid action/horror/scifi type movies. That and I get nightmares really easily. 😀
MistressValerie1
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Same here. Perhaps the best films with a lot of special effects were the first two Star Trek movies, but most of the other effects-heavy movies (including Star Wars) didn't hold my interest.nessonite said:
Celtic_Emperor
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Do you mean the prequal trilogy Val, or the original trilogy, or both? Because to be fair the original was alot better and didn't rely so heavily on CG but made it look like it did. Only about 20% of the original trilogy was CG.
Yoda was a puppet, the ships were real models, not CG, and all of the creatures were puppets too and it all looked more textured and had depth.
I think Yoda was better as a puppet. It looked more real and tangible. I can see where action scenes in CG are necessary however, or real scenes need assistance from CG, but I think its been overdone with this classic series.
Lucas should have kept making the films the way he used to even though there were advancements made. I can see how taking advantage of new camera technology and effects are necessary and ok, but to switch over almost completely to CG is probably what makes Star Wars seem akwardly different. It doesn't feel the same and no doubt its cost Lucas a portion of his fanbase, just for the artificial athsestics alone.
Revenge of the Sith is his last chance, but I think he'll make up for it, with this episode being the best overall. So much is riding on this one movie, most importantly the prequal finally being linked to the original and the circle of events being complete. Hopefully the action and plotline will be good enough in spite of any overuses of CG.
Yoda was a puppet, the ships were real models, not CG, and all of the creatures were puppets too and it all looked more textured and had depth.
I think Yoda was better as a puppet. It looked more real and tangible. I can see where action scenes in CG are necessary however, or real scenes need assistance from CG, but I think its been overdone with this classic series.
Lucas should have kept making the films the way he used to even though there were advancements made. I can see how taking advantage of new camera technology and effects are necessary and ok, but to switch over almost completely to CG is probably what makes Star Wars seem akwardly different. It doesn't feel the same and no doubt its cost Lucas a portion of his fanbase, just for the artificial athsestics alone.
Revenge of the Sith is his last chance, but I think he'll make up for it, with this episode being the best overall. So much is riding on this one movie, most importantly the prequal finally being linked to the original and the circle of events being complete. Hopefully the action and plotline will be good enough in spite of any overuses of CG.
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nessonite1
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I was really disapointed with the two recent Star Wars movies. It seemed like most of it was the animators saying "Hey! Look what I can do!"
And the rest was split between a) kid-friendly alien races & story lines and b) references to the original trilogy events and characters which came across as little more than inside jokes.
And the rest was split between a) kid-friendly alien races & story lines and b) references to the original trilogy events and characters which came across as little more than inside jokes.
MistressValerie1
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Vlad, the only Star Wars film I saw was the first original one. I liked it the first time when I was about 16 (when it aired on Thai television complete with subtitles, lol), but when I tried to watch it again a couple of years ago on videotape, it fell totally flat. I thought the characters were too "cute" and non-believeable ... I also felt the same way about E.T. 🙂
Celtic_Emperor
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Yeah, E.T. I have that one too, and its a good family movie I guess. The one thing they editted out that was silly was the guns. The local law enforcement, government agents, etc, had guns to keep the situation under control or at least try to. Afterall, this is a possible security threat, there being an alien in an urban neighborhood, so they have to be ready to kill it if they have to.
Thats understandable.
Whats silly is that Speilburg editted out the guns and put walkie-talkies in their hands instead. "Yeah....we're going to talk to eachother about this alien we're supposed to be stopping."
Yeah...ok. LOL
Of course, because it was a family film and children would watch it, thats why he took it out. So its understandable but really hurts any urgency the situation might have had, or should have had.
Thats understandable.
Whats silly is that Speilburg editted out the guns and put walkie-talkies in their hands instead. "Yeah....we're going to talk to eachother about this alien we're supposed to be stopping."
Yeah...ok. LOL
Of course, because it was a family film and children would watch it, thats why he took it out. So its understandable but really hurts any urgency the situation might have had, or should have had.
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nessonite1
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I havent seen the "edited" ET. I refuse to. I saw a bit on tv with a cgi ET in a bath and it didn't even seem to try to look like the original. If I ever buy ET for my daughter you can be sure it will be the real version.
Celtic_Emperor
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Its not too bad. The only things that really changed where the bathtub scene and the taking out of the guns. But that part isn't even noticable if you're not paying attention to it. Most people's attention in that scence is focused on E.T working his powers and making the kids and their bikes fly.
nessonite1
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Call me stubborn (no really, go ahead) but for me it's the principle of the thing. The fact that they went in and screwed with a classic movie is bad enough...but they had to go and do something as stupid and unecessarily PC as take the guns away from people who quite logically should be carrying guns.
It's all a part of making the scene what it was. We're supposed to be SCARED of the big bad government agents coming to take ET away. I'm just not going to feel as frightened for poor ET as the bad guys come at him with walkie talkies.
It's all a part of making the scene what it was. We're supposed to be SCARED of the big bad government agents coming to take ET away. I'm just not going to feel as frightened for poor ET as the bad guys come at him with walkie talkies.
Celtic_Emperor
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Well, I'm glad you agree with what I said, then.
To be even more technical, there wouldn't have been an investigation. They knew he was there or suspected he was, yet they did nothing but spy just to make sure. The governement sure as hell isn't going to honor your personal rights and wait while you're gone to test your house for signs. They're going to raid your house and take it (the alien) by force, and if you get in the way, they'll arrest you, or worse.
Its really a matter of national security. And they would have shot Elliot and his friends out of the sky when they were getting away, not just stand there gauking. Or they would have at least followed them. How convienient that they didn't. Well accept for "Mr. Keys". But he was only there in the end because the mother and Gurdy went. They wouldn't have let anyone leave the house either, and they wouldn't have kept E.T there. They would have transported him elsewhere. He didn't die until the next morning. That would be been plenty of time to study him and then open him up without a security risk.
And if the kid wanted to say good-bye to E.T, that would have been tough $hit, because not only would they not have allowed that, they would have threatened the family to silence or possibly dettain them indefinitely.
But again, its a FAMILY movie Ness. So try not to get too tense over this. 😛
To be even more technical, there wouldn't have been an investigation. They knew he was there or suspected he was, yet they did nothing but spy just to make sure. The governement sure as hell isn't going to honor your personal rights and wait while you're gone to test your house for signs. They're going to raid your house and take it (the alien) by force, and if you get in the way, they'll arrest you, or worse.
Its really a matter of national security. And they would have shot Elliot and his friends out of the sky when they were getting away, not just stand there gauking. Or they would have at least followed them. How convienient that they didn't. Well accept for "Mr. Keys". But he was only there in the end because the mother and Gurdy went. They wouldn't have let anyone leave the house either, and they wouldn't have kept E.T there. They would have transported him elsewhere. He didn't die until the next morning. That would be been plenty of time to study him and then open him up without a security risk.
And if the kid wanted to say good-bye to E.T, that would have been tough $hit, because not only would they not have allowed that, they would have threatened the family to silence or possibly dettain them indefinitely.
But again, its a FAMILY movie Ness. So try not to get too tense over this. 😛
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